


In Sickness and In Health

by Andromakhe



Series: Balance [4]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: 7LittleWords by Blue Ox Technologies, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-05-02 19:39:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5261096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromakhe/pseuds/Andromakhe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loosely set in my "Balance" AU. Karai serves Leo and he reciprocates. I imagine this will only really appeal to die-hard Leorai shippers. Inspired by "So In Love With You" by Universal Nubian Voices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Water and Whine

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I never thought I would ever write a fic with sick characters. That premise just never appealed to me. But then I imagined a scene with Karai serving Leo, and this is the resulting fic. So go figure.
> 
> This is a hodgepodge of fanon and canon. This always happens. I write about a character often enough and things slowly become more and more AU. This is unadulterated, unapologetic Leorai fluff set in my "Balance" universe. There are loose connections to "Diametric Symmetry" and "Honor," but neither story is required to understand this one. Inspired by the song "So In Love With You" by Universal Nubian Voices.

It was about 6:00 in the morning when Karai woke. After washing her face, she made her way to the living area to greet Leo and Splinter, but was surprised to only find Splinter at the table.

"Hello, Father," Karai bowed in greeting.

Inclining his head, Splinter smiled. "Good morning, my daughter. Would you like some tea?" A small teacup sat forlornly where Leo would usually have sat. A covered teapot sat in the middle of the table, within easy reach of a small group who might partake nearby.

Karai poured herself some tea and gulped it down. It was warm because of the covering over the pot, but clearly some time had passed since it was brewed. She poured a second cup and swallowed it quickly as well, before pouring a third and holding the cup between her hands. She frowned at Leo’s empty seat, and then addressed Splinter with concern. "Where’s Leo? It’s odd without him, though I know I usually join you two for tea."

Splinter twitched an ear. "I would not worry, Miwa. He is likely still asleep. He did not have a particularly hard day yesterday, so I assume he isn’t feeling well. Possibly coming down with something." 

Karai dipped her head slightly, then shook it slowly. "I’ll take this to him," she said, tapping the teacup with a finger.

Splinter offered a half-smile at his daughter’s kind gesture. Perhaps Leonardo had more influence on her than he’d known previously. "Very well, though if he’s still asleep, just leave it near him."

"Hai, Sensei," Karai acknowledged, carrying the fragile teacup carefully to Leo’s room.

Opening Leo’s door with a quiet click, Karai tiptoed inside, rolling her eyes yet smiling affectionately at his 'Space Heroes' poster, glancing at his organized desk, feeling nostalgia wash over her when she saw his Japanese wall scroll, and grinning unashamedly at the archery target tucked next to the foot of his bed. On the nightstand at the head of his bed sat his phone, a tissue box, a lion pendant, and a wooden snake biting its tail.

Heart filling with tenderness as she laid eyes on the items, she didn’t realize she’d been standing over Leo too long until his fingers closed on her wrist. His grip was firm, but gentle. Her eyes widened in surprise as they flicked to his hand, and then his infuriating and endearing smirk. Karai briefly considered throwing the tea at him, but decided against it at the last second and offered the cup instead, unsuccessfully fighting laughter.

"Come on," Leo said hoarsely, having just woken, "chuckle. You know you want to." Leo winked at her, smirk becoming a broad grin as he took the tea and drank it slowly.

"Damn it, Leo," Karai laughed, the sound shy and joyous and music to Leo’s ears.

Finishing with the cup, Leo met Karai’s green eyes lovingly. "Maybe I should sleep in more, if this is the kind of wake-up call I can expect," Leo teased.

"Oh, you think it’s good now?" Karai winked, bending to give Leo a kiss.

But Leo shook his head and sat up, scooting away uneasily. "I don’t think that’s a good idea," he murmured regretfully. "Think I’m sick."

Karai frowned. "Yeah, I don’t want whatever you have. Sensei said it might be the case. Said you only sleep in if you’re really tired or aren’t feeling well."

Leo nodded. "Kind of lethargic and my throat’s a little sore, so not good signs. Wonder if I can get out of training. Hmmm."

Karai feigned shock. "What? Did I hear that right?"

"I’m afraid so," Leo replied.

"I’ll ask Father and let you know. You should lie down again," Karai suggested.

Leo nodded and stretched out on his back, eyes partially closing. Karai placed a peck on his forehead, his neck a little warm under the back of her hand. But his appreciative, kind smile was all the thanks she needed, and she left the room with his empty cup and resolved to make him smile just like that more often.

Karai found Splinter in his room. She told him of Leo’s situation and asked if he could sleep instead of train. Splinter frowned, not wishing to give Leo special treatment. But at Karai’s disappointed pout, he relented. 

Offering a pleased smile, she breezed away to the kitchen, making breakfast for herself and Leo. She toasted four slices of bread - hers crunchier, his lighter. She also made a pot of oatmeal, managing to get it a medium, creamy consistency with careful addition of milk. She put honey in his oatmeal, having seen him do it often enough, and added blueberries to both their bowls. The toast she left plain. Separating each meal onto two plates, she put them on a tray beside glasses of grape juice and carried everything to Leo’s room. To her dismay, the door was closed again. Kicking the door in frustration, she sighed heavily and waited. "Leo!" she snapped. "Give me some help here."

The door was pulled open, tired grumpiness being replaced immediately by surprised contrition. Leo grabbed the tray from Karai’s hands and set it on his desk as Karai stepped inside and shut the door. By the way Leo was eying his oatmeal, Karai could tell he was hungry. But he merely took his plate and his juice to his nightstand and sat on his bed, using the nightstand as a table and waiting.

"Eat," Karai said shortly, angling herself to get a better view of Leo.

Instead, Leo walked over and helped her turn his desk around so that it faced his bed rather than the opposite wall. Smiling her thanks, Karai began eating quickly. Touching her shoulder, Leo shook his head. "Maybe you should slow down." She shrugged as Leo went back to his food. He was happily enjoying his oatmeal when Karai started coughing. Alarmed, Leo grabbed some tissues and was at her shoulder again while Karai had a hand over her mouth. Fortunately, her crisis resolved on its own, and she drank some juice and was none the worse for wear. He set the tissues on the tray in front of Karai and went back to eating, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

"Be quiet, Leo," Karai groused at her oatmeal, embarrassed and self-conscious.

"I was going to thank you for the food, but I guess you don’t want to hear it," Leo said casually, leaning back on his palms and addressing the ceiling.

"Do you like it?" Karai asked without thinking, looking at Leo again.

"It’s great." Leo’s tone gentled. "Sorry about the door. I didn’t think anyone would be by so soon. And you told me to sleep, so…" 

"I’d meant for it to be a surprise. Ah well." Karai sighed, somewhat disappointed.

"It was," Leo chuckled, sitting up and resuming his meal.

Karai’s expression soured as she went back to her food, eating slowly.

"What’s the matter?" Leo asked, concerned. "I appreciate what you’ve done. Is that not enough?"

Karai dropped her spoon into her bowl with a clatter, got up, and stalked over to Leo’s side. When he swallowed his food, she whipped an arm around the back of his neck and captured his lips in a demanding, hard kiss. Licking his lips with her forked tongue, she drew back, satisfied and smug. Leo was speechless. "Now it’s enough," Karai nodded firmly, as the two ate in companionable silence. "Oh, and Sensei says you get the day off. He was going to say no, but…I’m a kunoichi." She winked.

"Even if you weren’t, you still have us wound around your fingers." Leo’s eyes said there was nowhere else he’d rather be.


	2. Care and Feeding

It was about six days later and Leo was doing much better. He did have an occasional cough, but he was almost fully recovered. He spent most of the previous days in his room. Karai and Donnie ensured he stayed hydrated and took medicine, Mikey brought Ice Cream Kitty around for occasional visits, Splinter meditated with him when he was well enough to not be coughing so much, and Raph poked his head in the room and brought reading material to keep Leo’s brain stimulated. Leo mused that it was when he was sick or injured that he felt most loved. It was kind of sad, and he knew better. He knew his family cared deeply for him. But he still felt taken for granted at times. He was glad he had Splinter to support him, and now Karai as well. They were the only ones he could drop the facades with. He wondered who Splinter leaned on, and how taken for granted he felt. He’d have to remember to talk to him about that.

Walking out into the living area in the early morning, Leo was surprised to see Karai awake and playing a game on her phone with Splinter. "Hey, guys," he greeted sincerely.

"Hello, my son." Splinter smiled at Leo before spelling a word and guessing correctly by the tone the phone made.

"Hi, Leo," Karai smirked, her tone playful and somehow seductive. Leo mused vaguely that it had to be wrong to be thinking like that so soon and in front of their father, but not being able to take it back.

Blushing faintly, Leo cast around for something to distract himself. His gaze settled on the cup of tea waiting across from Splinter and beside Karai. "Oh. Thanks for the tea. Karai?"

Karai inclined her head. "I’m not much of a cook, but I can make tea and oatmeal." She smiled at Leo, whose expression gentled and melted her heart.

Leo took his seat and sipped carefully. The tea was still quite hot, meaning it must have been made recently. He savored the warmth going down his throat and into his stomach. "You playing 7 Little Words? Karai and I played a lot of that together while I was sick." 

"Yes," Splinter smiled. "Karai told me you introduced her to it. And she says you two played a fair amount of poker." 

"We did. With real cards." Leo smiled fondly. "Blackjack, too. She had to teach me to play. I don’t know why we’ve never played…" And then Leo remembered. "Oh, right. We could never get a full deck of physical cards. Hard to play any games with numbers missing."

"We should do that as a family," Karai put in, as Splinter and Leo poured themselves more tea and sipped slowly. "Or maybe when April and Casey come over. Raph sometimes played with us. He already knew how. He said from playing on his phone."

"I’d go for that," Leo said happily.

"I as well," Splinter said, though he seemed far away, as though remembering similar times in his past.

Leo reached for Karai’s phone, which was near Splinter, and saw there were still a few clues unsolved for the current puzzle. He solved one and passed the phone to Karai, who did one and gave the phone to Splinter again. The chime that signaled a successfully completed puzzle sounded, and the small group smiled simultaneously. "Hey, maybe we should play this as a family," Leo suggested.

"I’ll bet Donnie and April would be good at it," Karai said.

Leo nodded absently, suddenly scrutinizing Karai as he turned his cup in his hands. Something about her voice was off. He reached out and touched her neck, then looked into her flushed face. "Oh, no. You’re sick, aren’t you?" Leo challenged, shaking his head. "I told you not to spend so much time with me."

"I do what I want," Karai snarled, showing her fangs. "Besides, someone had to keep you up to date on the techniques you missed. I was sure you’d hate having to play catch-up there."

"Sensei could have-" Leo began, but Karai shook her head.

"I know you guys meditated together, but he didn’t want to teach you. He just wanted to be near his sick son. I could see that by how he looked at you." Karai looked away suddenly, but Leo knew something was wrong by the trembling of her shoulders and the way her voice broke.

Splinter poured Karai more tea and placed a paw on her hand in support. Karai drank her tea in one gulp, managing to compose herself again. She nodded her thanks and turned to Leo. "It’s interesting what you never miss until you realize you should have had it your whole life. But then, how can you miss something you don’t know exists? You’ve always known love, Leo. You taught me to play."

Leo held Karai from behind, arms wrapped around her waist as she reclined against him. Stroking her head, he murmured, "But it seems to have hurt you. I’m so sorry. Whatever I’ve done."

Karai turned her head and kissed his cheek. "I regret nothing. It’s the lack of love that hurts, the anger at what should have been mine. But I’m surrounded by warmth now, and if the cold I knew was necessary to gain this, it was worth it."

Leo moved to reciprocate the kiss, but Karai pulled away from him quickly, sneezing twice in succession into her palm. Her other hand was reaching toward a tissue box closer to Splinter’s side of the table. He pushed it to her helpfully. Leo looked sympathetic and guilty.

"For the last time, this is not your fault," Karai sniffled, blowing her nose and walking to a trash can in the kitchen.

"I know, but-" Leo began.

Splinter cut into the unproductive argument. "Miwa, I am glad you’re finally home. I suppose I have Leonardo to thank for making such a good impression."

Karai walked back to her seat, shoving Leo in the shoulder good-naturedly. "I don’t know about a good impression. But he…got my attention. And never lost it. And he’s always brought me home."

Splinter smiled contentedly at his children, but the quiet moment was shattered by another sneeze from Karai. She sighed in annoyance, rubbing her eyes.

"Maybe you should go to bed," Leo suggested softly, laying a gentle hand on her forearm as she stood by his seat, preparing to resume hers.

Karai growled quietly, but then she saw Leo’s concerned compassion and nodded. "Yeah, the bed would be warmer. Sleep sounds inviting." Walking around the table, she grabbed her phone from beside Splinter, finished her tea, and paused by Leo. "You’ll keep me informed about training, right?"

"Of course." Leo nodded formally.

"I suppose we will not be seeing much of you for the next week, hmmm?" Splinter confirmed.

"I could try to train, but honestly, I think I’d just be a distraction," Karai answered.

"Rest well, my daughter. I will visit you every day. It may be that you get sick of seeing me."

Karai chuckled, but was cut off by coughing. Lowering her hand from her mouth, she nodded to Leo and bowed to Splinter before leaving the area.

Leo shook his head sadly as Karai moved away, quietly drinking tepid tea. He and Splinter finished the pot and Leo grabbed the dishes and took them to the kitchen.

"Leonardo," Splinter called sternly at the Turtle’s shoulder, a paw resting on it, "if Karai caught your cold, it was not as though she was unaware of the risk. There was no guarantee she’d catch it, and anyway, we live in the same lair. She will be all right, and you will not help her by blaming yourself. I know you know this. I do not blame you and neither does she, for whatever that is worth. I will see you during training."

Leo turned to look Splinter in the eyes. "Hai, Sensei." Leo bowed in farewell, but as Splinter turned to leave, he called after him. "And thank you. I know you’re right. I just-"

"-hate harming your friends and family, especially unintentionally. I understand. I do not enjoy it, either." Splinter looked back over his shoulder as he left the kitchen and saw Leo’s understanding smile.

Alone again, Leo heated up miso soup, rice, and some leftover teriyaki chicken pieces from yesterday’s lunch for his and Karai’s breakfast. As she had done with his breakfast nearly a week ago, he divided the food and carried the dishes on a tray. He brought warm water with honey inside for Karai and plain tap water for himself.

Finding Karai’s door shut, he knocked on it a few times and waited. He was in the process of putting the tray on the floor when Karai bent down and took it from his hands. She put the tray on a low table, sitting on the mattress spread on the floor. Leo closed the door again and sat across from her, beginning his meal with the click of chopsticks. Karai took his hand and squeezed it gently, holding his gaze as they both slowly chewed. Grabbing a tissue from the box on the floor near Karai, he wiped his mouth and swallowed before kissing the back of her hand delicately. Meeting her eyes shyly, he was delighted to see her genuine smile. Grinning mischievously, Karai expertly picked up rice and a piece of chicken in her chopsticks and laid the food against Leo’s lips. Eyes widening in bewilderment, Leo opened his mouth cooperatively and she fed him, reveling in his awkwardness. Karai waited expectantly, laying her chopsticks beside her plate. Leo raised his eyebrows in question, eying the amount of food she still had left. Shaking her head no, she indicated his chopsticks and touched her lips with a finger, winking. Blinking, Leo lifted his chopsticks toward her mouth and then made the connection. Blush deepening, he huffed self-consciously and carefully picked up a bite of food as Karai sipped at her water to keep from giggling. When she lowered her cup, he held his chopsticks against her lips as she smiled in approval before taking the proffered food and maintaining eye contact. 

After Karai finished her meal, she left the room, relieved herself, and returned to find Leo sprawled on his stomach next to her pillow. Hissing a laugh through her nose, she lay on her side next to him and began stroking his shell with one hand while the other captured one of his hands. Smiling lovingly, the hand stroking his shell moved to grip the back of his neck as she kissed his lips softly. "Thank you," she said quietly, her eyes closing. 

"What for?" Leo murmured kindly against her mouth.

"For being everything I need."

Leo kissed her forehead and began to pull away, but Karai’s arm tightened around his shell. Pulling his head close to her lips, she whispered, "I’m…I’m not good at saying I love you." 

Leo chuckled, warm and tender, fingers tightening on Karai’s as he sat up and admired her relaxed form. "I love you, too. In sickness and in health."


End file.
